FAMILIAL AGGREGATION IN THE FIBROMYALGIA SYNDROME

The authors studied the familial occurrence of fibromyalgia (FMS) to d etermine a possible role of genetic and familial factors in this syndr ome. Fifty-eight offspring aged 5 to 46 years (35 males and 23 females ) from 20 complete nuclear families ascertained through affected mothe rs with FMS were clinically evaluated for FMS according to the ACR 199 0 diagnostic criteria. FMS symptoms, quality of life, physical functio ning, and dolorimetry thresholds were assessed in all subjects. Sixtee n offspring (28%) were found to have FMS. The M/F ratio among the affe cted was 0.8 compared with 1.5 in the whole study group. Offspring wit h and without FMS did not differ on anxiety, depression, global well-b eing, quality of life, and physical functioning. A high prevalence of FMS was observed among offspring of FMS mothers. Because psychological and familiar factors were not different in children with and without FMS, the high familial occurrence of this syndrome may be attributable to genetic factors. Copyright (C) 1996 by W.B. Saunders Company.